Practice-keyboard for typewriting



E. STEWART.

PRACTICE KEYBOARD FOR TYPEWRITING. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27. I918.

1,331,728. Patented Feb. 24,1920.

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11 at JtewQ f E. STEWART. PRACTICE KEYBOARD FOR TYPEWRITING.

APPLICATIONFILED NOV-27.1918.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

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IN V EN TOR.

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-' rows at belng hlghest mg drawings, 7 4 O To all whom it may concern:

these keys, plvoted on a single rod, and these parts can 7 bar serve for three keys,

one side and strip ELLIOT STEWART, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

OFFICE. A

PRACTICE-KEYBOARD F03 VTYPEWRITINGQ i Be it known that I, ELLIOT STEWART, a

citizen of the United States,'and resident of Brooklyn, N. Y., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Practice-Keyboards for Typewriting, of which the following is a specification. l

M 1 invention relates to keyboards for acquiring the art of typewriting.

One object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive keyboard which will display a corresponding letter whenever a key is depressed. In a practice device of this kind economy is a main consideration. In my keyboard the keys are pins moving in holes in a block of Wood, and aside from there are only ten moving parts,

be easily sawed outof wood. I attain simplicity'of construction by (a) having the key-bars serve both to support the keys,and to carry the letters; (b) havingeachkeyinstead'of only one; ('6) Controlling themotion of thekey-bar, so that only one of the three letters which it carries is brought into view when a key is In carrying my invention into effect I provide a keyboard which simulates that of the standard typewriter in so far that the keys are arranged in a plurality of parallel dilierent elevations, those at the rear and those toward the front be ing stepped down in succession, the keys of each row being staggered in relation to those of the adjacent rows substantially as in the ordinary typewriter.

The invention is shown in the accompanyin which, Figure 1 is a plan of the part of the top cut away;

keyboard with v Fig. 2 is a vertical section.

. Fig. 3 is a section showing the. position of the parts when the lower key is depressed.

Fig. 4 1s a section with Fig. 5 is a section with 'th upperrkey.

depressed.

1 is the case or the top ofthe case, the top, t a strip parallel to .the edgeof the top and to. strip? The top 2 and strip 3 on a on the otherJside form the slot 5, atwhich the letters appear. 6 is arod or shaft with its ends. sup cited by the frame. 17 is the key-holder, 8t e space-bar,

frame of the keyboard, 2

' Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 27, 1918. Serial N... 264,402.

'which is immovably attached to the keythe shaft6. 20 are pins WhlOll 'bar19 is pivoted on the rod'6.

its own vertical plane.

' 7, and their lower ends In Fig; strips .3 key-bars 3a strip attached under Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

holder; 9, 10,11, 12, 13 and 14 'arekeys which passthrough holes in the key-holder. 15, 16, 17 1S and 19 are keybars pivoted on separate the key-bars and hold them in proper position. The key-bars as above described serve as carriers'for'the characters to be displayed.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through M-:M,

Fig. 1, with the key-holder 7 cut away to expose the keys 12, 13, and 14. The key The hole 1n the key-bar is somewhatlarger than the rod, 1n order to allow the key-bar the freedom of movement necessary for it to rotate'in and let pass through holes 1n the key-holder '19. The rear part of key-bar 19- is of such form and its pivot is "so located that the force of gravity causes the rear edge of keybar 19 normally to rest on the case. The top of key-bar 19 is marked with three letters T, Gr, and B, which are concealed by the strip 3 and the top 2, when the '1 ey-bar or letter carrier is normal positron. V

1 parts of the top 2, and of the and 4 are cut away, exposing the 15, 16, 17, 18, and19. Key-bars 15 and 19 are Key-bar 16 is shown in position when its lower key 9 is depressed. Of the three letters W, S, and X which key bar 16 carries on its top, the front letter X, which corwith its middle key 10' depressed. The middle letter I), correspondingto the middle letter E is con-- key 10 is brought into view, ce'aled" understrip 3,1and letter C is concealedfunder -strip 4. Key-bar 18 is shown.

with "its upperkey 11 depressed. The rear letter It, corresponding to the upper key 11 isbrought into view, concealed under strip 4. The other keybars and keys operate in the same manner. Figs. 3, land 5 are sectional views simi- The keys 12, 13

rest on the key-bar shown in normal position.'

the bottom of Y and the other two lar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in difier- I spectively, are depressed.

In Fig. 3 key .12 is depressed until its I' top rests onthe surface This movement'rotates ent positionswhenikeys 12, ,13, ,and 14, re-

, riers, and other rigid arms,

grees with respect to the normal position of Fig. 2, and brings the letter B (Fig. 1) which is marked on its-top into viewopposite slot 5. In this movement keys 13 and 14 also fall slightly because they rest on key-bar l9.

In Fig. l, key 13 is depressed until, its top rests on the surface of key-ho1der 7. Key 12 remains suspended as in Fig. 3. Key-bar 19 is rotated aboutten degrees beyond its normal position in Fig. 2, bringing 'ntoview the letter G (Fig. 1), corresponding to key 13. r

, In Fige 5, key 14; is depressed until the front edge of key-bar l9 rests on the bottom of t'hecase. Keys '12 and 13 remain suspendedns in Fig. 4'. Key-bar-19 is rotated about fifteen degrees beyond its normalposition inFig. 2, bringing into viewthe letter T (Fig. 1,) corresponding to key 14.

In my invention, as applied .to the model herein described, a {single key-bar carries three letters, supports three keys, and may be actuated by depressing brought into view, corresponding to the key which is depressed. The same principles may beapplied to other keyboards wherein the key-bars may support a different number of keys, as two or four, or may carry numbers or other characters instead of letters. 7 a v It will be observed that the inclined position of the key-bars or character carriers correspond, to the set of keys, as for instance'12, 13 and 14 which are to: operate .the carrier. respectively and the carriers turn in these inclined planes This arsimplicity of the'struoture. g M In-the appended claims reference is made to a setof keys. In doing so I refer to a number of keys, three in the present organization which operate upon the same arm and move the same character carrier.

' What I claim is:

1.} In combination aframe, a plurality of character carriers rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis and each having an arm rigidly connected therewith, to move as one bodywith the carrier about the said horizontal axis, which is common to said carand keys having guided in the frame and when depressed rangement. contributes materially thestems mounted and resting on said arms turningthe carriers about the horizontal axis, 7

substantially as described. '2. In combination a frame, a plurality of character carriers pivotally mounted in the frame, each having aforwardly extending arm connected rigidly therewith, a ke I y holder.and sets of keys held thereby, the

stems ofthe keys of each set resting on the arm of 'a carrier and being heldelevated thereby, one being located over theforward end of the set, the forward any one of the 1 three keys, whereupon only one letter is held thereby,

.means thereon to particular carrier extend tances when in arretracted from a plurality of the arm in respect to the other-keys keys of each set being limited in their downward movement by contacting with thetop of the key holder.

3.1a combination a casing, a set of keys at the front thereof, a charaetercarrier arranged in the casing and pivotally mounted, said carrier havin g weight inirear of its pivot and being normally in a retracted position awayifrom the keys and at the back of the casing, said carrier having a rigid forwardly extending arm, stems for the keys overlying said arm, said carrierhaving its per edge and facingupwar'dly, the depression of said keys turning the carrier through different degrees of 'angularmovement to bring different characters thereon to a display point. r

4. In combination a plurality of pivoted character carriers, each having a preponderance of weight in rear of its pivot and having a forwardly extending arm connected rigidly therewith, a key holder and keys the stems of which rest on the arms'of the carriers and are held elevated thereby, certain of said key stems having, holder to limit the downward movement thereof. V f

5. In combination a carriers, setsof keys for operating the several carriers, the keysof each set being arranged in a row whereby one is located forwardly in relation to the others of the same set, one set for each carrier, and a key holder in which the key stems are an inclined upper surface above which the different keys of each set which operate ,a for unequal disper surface serving as a stop for the downward movement of the set.

keys in rows, those of one'row being staggered in relation to those of other rows, and character carriers, each of which is operable of keys, one in each row, said-carriers being inclined laterally in respect to the vertical planes in which-the rows of keys lie and to correspond with the vertical plane in which the, set of keys lies,

one 1n each row, which operate any par.

ticular carrier, substantially as described.

7 7. In combination a keyboard having keys in rows, those of one row being staggered in relation to those of other-rows, and character carriers, each of whichis operable from a plurality of keys, one in eachrow, said carriers being inclined laterally in rea preponderance of.

characters on its upstrike ontop ofthe key position, said up-.

forward keys in each g 6. In combination, a key-board having mounted having spect to the vertical planes in which the rows of keys lie and to correspond with the vertical'planes in which theset of keys lie, one in g each row,

which operate the carriers, said V V 95. plurality: of character I rear of its pivot and carriers being pivotally mounted, substantially as described.

8. In combination a plurality of rows of keys at different elevations, the keys of one row being staggered in relation to those of other rows, and carriers having each a plurality of characters thereon to be brought to a display point, said carriers being inclined laterally in respect to the vertical planes in which the rows of keys lie and each having a portion extending under a key of each row to be operatedthereby, the lateral incline of the carrier corresponding substantially to the inclined arrangement of the set of keys which is to operate it, substantially as described.

9. In combination, a frame, a character carrier pivotally mounted in the frame and having an arm connected integrally thereto and having a preponderance of weight in adapted to assume a gravity, said" carrier front of the machine down, and

retracted position by turning toward the when its lntegral arm is pressed vsitions, and a casing keys,

row to be operated thereby,

having a plurality of characters, and a plurality of keys having stems mounted in the frame for operating the carrier by pressing its integral arm down, said keys respectively turning said carrier to different angular pohaving a display opening to which the characters are brought by the forward turning movement of the carrier, substantially as described.

10. In combination a plurality of rows of the keys of one row being staggered in relation to those ofother rows, and carriers having each a plurality of'characters thereon to be brought to a display point, and each having a portion rigidly connected therewith and extending under a key of each said extended portion being inclined laterally in respect to the vertical planes in which the rows of keys lie, and to correspond with the vertical plane in which the set of keys lies, one in each row, which operate any particular'carrier. I In testimony whereof, I aflix, my signature. V ELLIOT STEWART. 7' 

